Slicing machine



March 5, 1935. J. BEcH 1,993,586

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J05 e fe 1560/:

INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 5, 1935. V J. BECH 1,993,586

' SLICING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1 952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIIIIHME TTORNEY March 5, 1935. J E 1,993,586

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jose lz Beck INVENTOR w 1 T H E s s ATTORNEY Patented Mar.

PATENT OFFlC E SLICING MACHINE Joseph Bech, Chicago, 111., asslgnor, by mesne assignments, to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Application June 23, 1932, Serial No. 618,884

11 Claims.

The invention relates to slicing machines particularly designed bacon into slices.

One object of the invention is to provide in association with or for the cutting of slabs of as part'of a slicing machine an intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism that is positioned and operated so as to receive slicesof bacon dropped thereupon from the slicing machine in a manner whereby the slices are arranged in overlapping arrangement inrespect to each other, so as to provide a group or batch of slices thus arranged, and to deliver the groups of slices one group at a time to and upon'a suitable receptacle or conveyor which may be in the form of an endless traveling conveyor mechanism.

According to one form of construction of the intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism there is provided a-receiving and delivering member in the for m of a fork or fork-shaped element operated and arranged so as to receive on the tines thereof the several slices in a manner whereby the slices are arranged thereupon, one after the other, in overlapping relationship, so as to deliver the group of slices thus arranged to the endless-conveyor and so as to quickly return the fork-shaped member to initial receiving position without arresting the movement of the knife of the slicing machine. In

other words, the construction is such that there is no interruption operation.

of the slicing or cutting According to another aspect of the invention the intermediate re ceiving and delivering mecha group of slices de chine and to succe livered from the cutting massively deliver the groups of slices one after the other by downward move- 'ment to and upon the endless conveyor which is located immediately below the forward or delivery end of the slicingmachine in a manner whereby there is no cessation of the cutting operations or no sudden movement imparted to the endless conveyor and whereby the receiving mechanism has a member in position to receive a slice as and wh cutter. v

en it is delivered from the According to a more specific aspect of the invention, there is provided an endless conveyor which is formed of several spaced supporting elements between which there extends the tines of the fork or fork-shaped receiving and delivering member of the intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism. This fork or fork-shaped member is located so that it travels slowly forwardly below the forward delivery end of theslicing machine wherebythe slices are received thereupon in a grouped overlapping relationship. Mechanism is associated with the tined member and operated in unison with the operating mechanism for the cutter in such a manner as to provide the slow forward and relatively horizontal movement of the fork-shaped receiving and supporting member until the desired number of slices are received thereupon; thereafter, there is effected a quick downward movement whereby the tines drop sufiiciently low to deposit the group of slices on the endless conveyor; this is followed by. a quick return movement of the fork-shaped member along a rearward horizontal path; and finally, thereafter, a relatively quick upward and short, quick, forward movement to the initial receiving position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

As illustrating a specific manner in which the invention may be realized, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical, partial sectional view showing a lower portion of the slicing machine, a portion of an endless conveyor located below the forward or delivery end of the slicing machine, and an intermediate mechanism having a receiving member arranged so as to receive slices of bacon as delivered thereto by the slicing machine, and mechanism for operating this intermediate receiving member so that it functions both as a receiving and delivering member not only to receive the slices of, bacon but also at the proper time to deliver the slices thus received to and upon that receiving portion of the endless conveyor which is located below the forward or delivery portion of the slicing machine.-

Fig. 2 is a vertical, side elevational view showing the slicing machine, a portion of the endless conveyor located below the forward or delivery end of the slicing machine, and the intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism and the operating parts whereby the intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism operates in synchronism with the movement of the cutter of the slicing machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the endless conveyor mechanism and of the receiving and delivering member of the intermediate and receiving mechanism.

Fig. 4 shows the fork member with a group of slices thereupon ready to be lowered, as in the direction indicated by the arrow, onto the belt or endless conveyor elements immediately below.

Fig. 5 shows the fork member lowered to its extreme lower position whereby the group of slices formerly thereupon are deposited on the belt or endless conveyor elements and the arrow in this view shows the direction of the next or return movement of the fork along a horizontal path.

Fig. 6 shows the fork-shaped member in its extreme lower rearward position, to wit, to the left, and it will be noted that the extreme ends of the fork are withdrawn entirely from below the rear edge of the group of bacon slices and that the fork is now in a position to be raised as indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 7 shows the position of the fork-shaped member immediately after it has been raised and it will be noted that as soon as raised, it is given a forward, horizontal movement, for the distance indicated by L as shown by the arrow of Figure 7, namely, until it is returned to initial receiving position.

Fig. 8 shows the fork or receiving member in its initial receiving position, to wit, the position for receiving the first slices of the next group as delivered thereto from the slicing machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the slicing machine, the delivery end of which is shown in Figure 1, and which is shown more fully in Figure 2, is designated by S. As shown, it is an inclined type of machine in which the slabs of bacon to be sliced are received in the upper rear end thereof, and are fed downwardly and forwardly in what may be termed a general longitudinal direction toward the cutter which is located at the lower forward'end of the machine.

A conveyor mechanism in the form of an endless conveyor is located so thata portion thereof is immediately below the delivery or forward end of the slicing machine. There is also shown in Figures 1 and 2 the intermediate mechanism I which has a receiving and deliver-.

, that they can be embodied in arrangement with a slicing machine of any other type. The apparatus as a whole is of course supported by any suitable framework, some parts of which are indicated, other parts of; which are not shown since the invention is readily appreciated without the inclusion of unnecessary details.

As to the slicing machine, this comprises a frame having any suitable base as 1 with which any suitable type of feeding means is associated. The slicing machine has at the forward end thereof the transversely moving cutter 2 which is mounted on a rotating shaft 3 which is in turn mounted in bearings 4 of the frame of the machine. A slab ofbaco'n is indicated by and is held in place and is fed forwardly in any suitable manner to the cutter. It will be noted that the cutter 2 moves in a transverse path in a manner to .cut or sever from-the bacon slab slices which extend in a transverse direction.

The conveyor C is made up of a series of narrow belts or chains 6. In the form illustrated,

.the conveyor mechanism. Instead, however, of

employing a series of narorw belts or chains, it is practical to employ a conveyor having a corrugated section which in effect provides longitudinally extending transversely spaced receiving and supporting elements between which there are located grooves or spaces for receiving the tines of the fork. The intermediate receiving and] delivering mechanism has the fork or fork-shaped member 8 previously referred to. This fork-shaped member is disposed in respect to the forward end of the slicing machine and also in respect to the conveyor so that the slicing machine during its operation drops the individual slices in properly spaced relationship to each other on the fork. As previously indicated, this fork is arranged so that its prongs or tines 9 intermesh with the several strands 6 of the belt conveyor as is clearly shown in Figure 3. This fork 8 is designed so that it may be raised or lowered with reference to the top cord or cords of the conveyor belt and so that its top surface can be held substantially above the top surface of the conveyor belt, as shown in full lines in Figure 1. It can also be depressed so that the tops of the horizontal portions of the tines or prongs of the fork can be depressed entirely below the top surface of the conveyor, as shown in dotted lines 9a in Figure 1. 1

Before proceeding further, it will be noted that the upper strands 6 of the conveyor C may be described as traveling in a forward, horizontal, longitudinal direction and these several strands in effect provide a horizontal receiving and conveying table; that the slicing machine may be considered as feeding the bacon in a forwardmore or less longitudinal-direction to the transversely moving cutter 2; that the fork 8 has horizontally and longitudinally extending tines 9; that during its normal receiving position it has a progressive forward longitudinal movement in synchronism with the cutting mechanism; and that during this forward movement the slices of bacon drop thereupon as delivered from the slicing machine in overlapping grouped arrangement, as shown in the several figures.

The intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism, as previously indicated, is operated from and in synchronism with the cutter-oper- 'ating'm'echanismfasismanifestfroman 12101101 Figure 2. T111818 provided by strain at inspecmechanism which includes suitable chains and searing extending from the knife shaft 3 to the cam shaft '18 hereinafter referred to and comprises the parts collectively indicated by G in or sliding member which is free to move longitudinally from end to end of a horizontal guide 11. This guide 11 is furthermore carried by a frame 12 which in turn is integral with a slider or sliding member 13, and which slider 13 is in tum slidably mounted on a vertical guide '14. This vertical guide 14 is rigidly attached to the frame of the slicing machine as by. lug 15 and by virtue of these two guides and slider elements, the fork 8 may be moved so that the tines of the fork may be moved back and forth under the forward end of the slicing machine S and also up and down soIthat e horizontal supporting portions of the tines canassume positions both above and below the supporting surfaces of the upper strands of the. conveyor belt 6.

By the proper control of these two motions, slices may be deposited in spaced relationship to each other in groups of N number of slices on the fork 8 and this group of properly arranged slices can be transferred to the conveyor belt 6 by a downward movement of the fork 8 without disturbing the arrangement of the individual slices one to the other and the fork can then be withdrawn and the cycle repeated.

The foregoing result or movements are accomplished by the following mechanism:

A cam shaft 16 operates through the gear train G in synchronism with the motion of knife shaft 3 from which it is driven. Cam 17 on the shaft 16 controls the normal horizontal motion of the fork 8, and operates through the medium of roller 18 being held in contact with cam 17 by spring 52 and carried on an oscillating lever 19 which is pivoted at 20 to a fixed member 21. The opposite end of the lever 19 is pivotally connected at 22 to rod 23 which in turn is pivoted to lever 24 at 25. The center of the lever 24 is pivoted at 26 to the bell crank lever 27. The opposite end of lever 24 is pivotally connected at 28 to a link or rod 29 which in turn is pivotally attached to slider 10 at 30. This cam 17 is divided into two functioning parts, one of which is defined as section 31 and is of rather abrupt proportions, and the other section or remainder 32 of the periphery is in the form of a smooth spiral or other desired curve. When this cam 17 is rotated in the direction as shown by the arrow a, to wit, counterclockwise, it causes fork 8 to move slowly to the right, that is, in a forward longitudinal direction so long as the roller 18 is following the section 32 of the cam. As soon as the abrupt section 31 of the cam comes under the roller, the fork 8 is given a rapid return motion. It is the slow forward longitudinal motion that gives the proper interspacing between the adjacent slices within each group or in other words, the proper overlapping relationship of the slices in each group. This forward progressive motion provides or forms what moans w so as todeliver the slices to the desired receiving means. Now, assume that a'group'of' bacon slices 33 is to be deposited on the conveyor belt 8 which is in facta conveying receiving'table. To bring this about, it is only tolower the fork 8 to the dotted position indicated by 9' in Figure 1. This lowering function is brought about by the-cam 34 which operates through hell crank lever 35, link 36, and a second bell crank lever 3'! and link 38, the latter of which is connected to the sliding member or slider 13. Spring 53 furnishes motive power to hold members 13-. and fork 8 in normal position to receive slices. The lowering of the fork 8 occurs when cam lobe 40 comes under roller 39. The angular length of cam lobe 40 must be sufllcient only to hold the fork 8 in its lowermost position while it is being withdrawn the full length of its horizontal or longitudinal stroke from its extreme forward position at the right to its extreme rearward position at the left, at which time it must again be raised to its uppermost position above conveyor belt 6.

The complete cyclic movement of the fork 8 is in effect, ashas previously been pointed out, illustrated step by step in Figures 4, 5, 6, '1 and 8.

From these figures and from an inspection of themechanical movements which effect and regulate the movements'nf the fork member 8, it will be noted that from the initial receivingposition shown in Figure 8, the fork member 8 has a slow progressive longitudinal forward movement during the period that N number of slices of bacon are being cut and deposited on the fork-receiving member.

As shown in said Figures 4 to 8, the number of slices which are thus severed and provided in a group are seven (7) and hence, for this slicing arrangement, N is I, It will be manifest, however, that by the proper gearing ratio, N may be of any number desired. Immediately upon the formation of the group as determined by posisibly to a certain extent accompanied, by an upward movement to the rearward upper position shown in Figure 7 and this upper movement is followed, possibly to a certain extent accompanied, by the forward movement which causes the fork-receiving member to be in its initial receiving position shown in Figure 8. It will be noted that in Figure 5, the supporting surface Y of the horizontal portions of the tines or prongs of the fork is substantially below the supporting surface of the receiving conveyor whereby the tines or prongs are free to be moved rearwardly without disturbing the group of slices just delivered through the conveyor as the result of the downward movement of the fork. It will also be noted that the tines or prongs of the fork during the movements indicated in Figures 5, 6, and 7, are always away from any contact with the group of slices just delivered, also, that the forward ends of the tines or prongs are sufliciently above and away from the group last delivered so that when starting to receive the slices of the next group, there is no interference as between the groups previously deposited and the tines or prongs returned to their initial position.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a limited forward movement as indicated by the reference character L, to wit, from an upper rearmost position to an initial receiving position. This motion through the distance L is brought about by cam 43 in Figure 1.. This cam operates through the medium of roller 44 which is attached to the arm 45 of bell crank lever 27. The bell crank lever 27 is pivoted to a fixed frame member 46 at 4'7 and a carrying arm or lever 24 is pivoted at 26. Through this train, the cam 43 causes the fork 8 to move to the right as the lobe 48 passes under the roller 44. The spring 49 furnishes the motive power for this action. The return from the lowest to the highest position of the roller on cam 43 is made along a uniform spiral or other desired curve 50.

The cyclic movements of the fork 8 represented in Figures 4, 5, 6, 'l and 8, must be accomplished in something less than one complete knife revolution. The remaining motion of the fork from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure 4, during which motion N number of slices are deposited on the fork member, is accomplished in N revolutions of the slicing knife. In other words, the fork 8 must remain in position indicated in Figure 4 long enough to catch the last slice 51 of a group and then pass through all positions of Figures 4 to 8 in time to catch the first slice of the next group. It is assumed that the slicing machine knife is operating at a constant cyclic speed.

The intermediate receiving and conveying mechanism herein described may be used with or embodied as a part of any of the well known types of slicing machine regardless as to whether such machine has a rotary knife, an oscillating knife, or a reciprocating knife, and also regardless as to whether the machine is what might be termed a horizontal or inclined machine.

As to the conveyor belt, this may be driven from a separate motor or it may be driven from the motor that operates the slicing machine. The essential thing as to the conveyor belt 6 is that the speed thereof should be at least great enough to move a group of slices an amount equal to their length, to wit, length W as indicated on the drawings plus whatever gap between the groups is desired for each N revolution of the slicing knife.

Some of the advantages of an apparatus implying the principles of operation herein described are that the apparatus permits the gap between groups of slices to be formed with a minimum tendency to disturb the relationship of the slices in the groups; it permits the slicing machine, or more particularly the cutter thereof, to operate continuously; it requires acceleration of only light weight parts; and it allows a continuously operatingrelatively heavy receiving and delivering conveyor or conveyor table to be employed.

What is claimed is:

. 1. A slicing machine having means for supporting a slab of bacon, a cutter at the forward end of the machine, and means for feeding the bacon forwardly to the cutter, which machine is characterized in that it is provided with a receiving and delivering fork-shaped member extending below the cutter, and means operatively associated with the cutter and said forkshaped member for imparting a slow forward movement of the fork from an upper initial receiving position to a full forward upper receiving position, for thereafter successively imparting a quick downward movement, a quick rearward movement, a quick upward movement to a rearmost position, and a quick forward movement to the upper initial receiving position.

2. A slicing apparatus comprising in combination a slicing machine having a supporting frame along which a slab of bacon is fed in a general longitudinal direction, a transversely moving cutter located at the front end of the machine, means for operating said cutter, a longitudinally extending endless conveyor providing trans-.

versely spaced longitudinally extending upper supporting and conveying strands, and an intermediate mechanism providing an intermediate receiving and delivering fork the tines of which extend longitudinally and intermesh with the spaces between the upper strands of the conveyor. and which intermediate mechanism is associated with the means for operating the cutter and is constructed so as to cause (a) a slow forward movement of the tines of the fork along a longitudinal path below the cutter from an upper initial receiving position to the full forward position but so as to support slabs of bacon received thereon above the strands of the conveyor during such forward movement, (b) a quick downward movement whereby the groups of bacon can be deposited on the upper strands of the conveyor, and (c) a quick rearward upward and forward movement to the upper initial receiving position, which quick movements are collectively effected in a period of time less than that required for an operating movement of the knife.

3. A receiving and delivering device for use in conjunction with a slicing machine, said device compromising a receiving and delivering member in the form of a fork-shaped element, the tines or prongs of which extend forwardly and horizontally from the body portion of the fork, a horizontally slidable member providing a carrier for the fork to which the rear body portion of the fork is connected, cam means, link and lever mechanism operated by the cam arranged for imparting longitudinal movement to the carrier but so as to permit vertical movement of the carrier, a second carrier or sliding member upon which the first carrier is slidably mounted, means upon which the second carrier is mounted so as to permit vertical movement, a second cam, and link and lever mechanism operated by the second cam and connected to the second carrier for imparting vertical movement thereto.

-4.' A slicing machine having a main frame, a transveresely movable cutter located at the forward delivery end of the slicing machine, a shaft carrying the cutter and mounted in bearings on the main frame, said main frame having secured thereto a member providing a vertically extending slideway, a receiving and delivering fork-shaped member located below the forward delivery end of the slicing machine, a longitudinal sliding member to which the fork-shaped member is secured and by which it is carried, a member providing a horizontally extending slideway upon which the sliding member is mounted, a second sliding member mounted upon the member providing the vertical slideway, which second sliding member provides the horizontal guideway upon which the first sliding member is mounted, and means operatively associated with the cutter-carrying shaft for effecting a slow forward movement of the fork-shaped member and a downward movement followed by a rearward return movement.

5. In combination, a slicing machine having a cutter at the forward delivery end thereof, an

operating shaft for the cutter, a fork-shaped re-' ceiving and delivering member located below the cutter, a horizontal sliding member providing a carrier for the fork-shaped member, a vertically movable sliding member providing a horizontal guideway for the first sliding member, a vertical guide member for the second sliding member, a cam, a link and lever mechanism whereby the first slideway is operated under the control of the cam, a second cam, and lever and link mechanism whereby the second sliding member is operated under the control of the second cam. 6. A construction as defined in the claim last preceding in which the cams are operated in synchronism with and from the shaft carrying the cutter.

'7. A construction as defined in claim in which the link and lever mechanism for operating the first mentioned slide comprises a bell crank lever, a third cam, controlling said bell crank lever and an intermediate lever the fulcrum of which is in turn carried on said bell crank lever.

' 8. A slicing machine having a cutter and associated supporting and feeding -mechanism, a conveyor located beneath the cutter and having spaced strands, an intermediate receiving member on the delivery side of the cutter and normally located between the cutter and the conveyor in position to receive directly from the cutter slices cut bythe same, and mechanism associated with the cutter and the receiving member for causing a slow forward slice receiving movement below the cutter and in synchronism with the operation of the cutter in order to cause a group of slices to be deposited on the receiving' member in overlapping relationship and a quick downward movement with respect to the cutter to a point below the receiving surface of the spaced strands of theconveyor for the purpose of discharging the slices of each group simultaneously on the conveyor prior to a succeeding cutting operation.

9. In combination, a slicing machine including a cutter, a fork-shaped receiving and delivering member at the delivery end of the machine, a receiving table and conveying element having spaced strands and located below the normal receiving position of the fork-shaped member, the latter when in normal position being located between the cutter and theconveyor, means for imparting forward feeding movement to the fork-shaped member when in its normal receiving position and thereafter imparting downward movement to the fork-shaped member to a point below the receiving surface of the spaced strands of the conveyor whereby the fork-shaped member is caused to deposit the sliced material received thereupon onto the conveyor, for thereafter moving the fork-shaped member rearwardly when in its lowermost position and for ultimately. returning the forkshaped member to its normal receiving position.

10. In combination with a slicing machine including a cutter and an endless conveyor located below the cutter, of an intermediate receiving and delivering mechanism including a receiving and delivering member normally located between the cutter and the conveyor to receive slices from the cutter said member having spaced portions disposed in alternate positions with respect to certain portions of the conveyor and, means for reciprocating the said member to' successively move the same from and back to position where it receives slices and downward to a point below the receiving surface of the endless conveyor for depositing the slices upon the conveyor.

11. In combination with a slicing machine including a cutter and an endless conveyor located below the cutter, of an intermediate receiving and delivery mechanism normally located between the cutter and the conveyor to receive slices from the cutter, means for reciprocating the said member to successively move the same from and back to position where it receives slices from the cutter and to and from a position for depositing the slices upon the conveyor, said member being carried forwardly during the period it is receiving slices from the cutter, and means for'moving the receiving and delivering member downwardly to a point below the receiving surface of the spaced strands of the conveyor to deposit the slices upon the conveyor and for moving the said member upwardly during the rearward movement of the same whereby the receiving and delivering member. is returned to its upper receiving position.

JOSEPH BECH. 

